As is well known, drapery is often used in a house or commercial space for both functional and decorative purposes. Types of drapery include window curtains and door curtains. The drapery is hung from a pole that is anchored to a wall using hardware. In addition, in the bathroom, it is commonplace for a tub that has a shower to have a shower curtain that is suspended from a pole. The shower curtain serves not only a decorative purpose but also functions to contain water within the tub when a person takes a shower. The shower curtain can be formed of a waterproof material, such as a suitable plastic material. Also, liners are often used to protect the shower curtain since many shower curtains are formed of fabrics that are not waterproof and thus, the installed liner serves to cover and protect the fabric shower curtain. In particular, many people like the high end look of a fabric shower curtain (which can be formed in many different fabrics) and therefore, a plastic (waterproof) liner is needed to protect the fabric shower curtain.
In one system of the prior art, separate devices, such as hooks or clips, are utilized to connect portions of the curtain (e.g., shower curtain) to the rod. In an alternative system of the prior art, the curtain or drape is mounted by threading a rod through the reinforced holes in that curtain.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,189,597; 6,494,248; and 6,935,402 disclose an alternative product to traditional hooks and clips and while, this product is useful, there are a number of shortcomings. First, the product is in the form of hanger rings that are associated with the curtain itself and thus, while the hanger rings are suitable for hanging the curtain itself, the hanger rings do not permit a second hanging material, such as a liner, to be hung. As mentioned above, when the shower curtain is formed of a fabric, a liner should be used in combination to protect the fabric and provide a waterproof barrier to keep the water in the tub. Second, the linear slits formed in the curtain are visible to the user since they are located above the user (pole height). The visibility of the linear slits can be viewed as being unsightly. There is therefore, a desire to provide an accessory that overcomes the above deficiencies.